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Climate Change Adaptation

Afghanistan has been identified as one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to the impacts of climate change. At present, the country is experiencing an increase in the number and intensity of droughts, as well as more frequent flooding events. With a legacy of instability and conflict, poorly developed infrastructure, and a population that largely depends on subsistence agriculture, the need to support community resilience and adaptation to climate change is paramount.

To achieve these ends, UNEP is strengthening institutional capacity to ensure effective adaptation planning and protection of communities, ecosystems, and development against climate change.

Its work in this area includes:

Piloting 30 community based natural resource management projects that support climate change adaptation in the Central Highlands, North, and Northeast of the country.

Supporting national and local structures to better anticipate and respond to climate change-induced extreme weather events.

Integrating climate change adaptation into national policy and development plans and working with local and national officials to better plan for the long term effects of climate change.

Implementing small-scale adaptation measures to demonstrate successful adaptation in several sites and at scales ranging from villages to small watersheds.

Spearheading a national awareness campaign on climate change adaptation that targets government, civil society, and communities.

Developing a national climate change adaptation strategy.

Initiating a national platform on climate change finance, to enable Afghanistan to access global environmental resources and deliver the funds to real projects on the ground in a transparent and practical manner.